Brake mechanism for vehicles



'o1-,1. 11,1927. 1,645.125 E. D. BROWN BRAKE MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 15, 1927 5 Smeets-sheet 1 Vy L? M' rf /fMM- www L u n ATTORN EYS @et :I l. E927.

E. D. BROWN BRAKE MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb, 15. 1927 5 sheds-sheet 2 Oct. 1l 1927.

. E. D. BROWN BRAKE MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. l5, 1927 INYENTGR f' my Oct. 11 1927.

E. D. BROWN BRAKE MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 15, 1927 ssheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR Mw 1m Q l* nvr-N/ 1,645,125' E. D. BROWN BRAKE MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. l5. 1927 5 SheetsfSheet 5 Oct. 11, 1927.

Patented Oct. 1l, 1927.

/ i mais EDGAR D.-BROWN, OFIPOTTSVULLE, PENNSYLVANIA BRAKE 'rancnanrsm non vnn'rcnns.

`Appiieanmi tied February is, 1927. `serieu. no. 168,410.

This invention relates to brake mechanism for vehicles, such as automobiles and the like, and has for one of its vobjects to provide a power actuated emergency brake mechanism by which the brakes may be automatically applied without the necessity of the manipulation of an emergency brake lever by the operator.

A further object is to provide a power actuated emergency brake under the control of the clutch lever and a foot brake under the control of the :toot brake lever, each of which levers shall periormtheir normalA functions of clutch and foot biakecOntrOl without effecting the application of vthe emergency brake, such application, however,

'being possible when and only when bothA of vsaid levers are thrown to ay predetermined position. Y

A still further object or" the invention is to .combine said power actuated emergency brake with power means, preferably that of the vehicle itself, for releasing the brakes. Preferably this is accomplished by voperatively connect-ing, at will, the emergency brake with the flywheel of the engine, whereby the emergency brake is thrown into .re-

lease position and retained'in such position until anotherapplication thereof is desired. l

Another and further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the vehicle cannot be started without iirst releasing the emergency brake. Preferably this is accomplished throughnthe clutch lever of z .the automobile and so combining this clutch lever with the releaseinechanism that the emergency brake is released by an initial depression ot' the clutch lever, whereby -the clutch is thrown out of operation.

Still further objects of the vinvention will appear as the description thereof proceeds.

The inventive idea is capable of being em.

bodied in a variety7 Aof mechanical structures, one ot which, for the purpose ofvillustrating the \invent-ion is shown in the accompanying drawings,'b'ut it will be eigpressly understood that such drawings are for the purpose of illustnation'only and are not designed to define Athe limits of the in- `vention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.l

In said drawings- Fig.' l s a broken, side elevation of 'an yautomobile showing the invention applied thereto with the emergency brake applied;V`

ig. 2- is a like view with the emergency in the position they 4 geucybrake is applied;

eactuated by the parts into operative relation 'able foot brake lever suitable way` to the foot brake brake olf, thelparts being in the position 'clutch lever;

Fig. 3 is a `and 2, showing the parts in the position which they occupywhen the emergency brake is goingpon, 'but before the same is fullyl applied;

Fig. 4- is a plan view of the brake mecha nism shown in Fig. l with the emergency brake on; i

IFig. 5 is a perspective' view with the parts occupy when the emeri ig. 6 is a det-ail perspective of the mechan ism for holding the brakes in released position;` l i Figs? is a perspective view ofthe element the clutchlever for throwing Figs. l0, l1, l2 and 13 are diagrammatic elevations illustrating the action of the brake releasing mechanism, and

A Fig. la is an exploded view in perspective of the several elements of the device, parts being separated in order tov enable the construction and combination thereof to .be more readily understood; Referring to the reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, l is the iiywheel 'casing of the -engine 2, 3 indicates the clutch, 4 the transmission casing and 5 the driveshaft, all of which may be of the usual or any suitable construction. 6 is any suit' `having a sleeve 7 integ.

ral therewith and turning on a shaft su side view A'similar to Figs. lv

with the they occupy at the initial depression of the they occupy when engaged drawings inrwhich like ported between the transmission casing 4L and the side'fi'ame l5', which sleeve ing therefrom a radial lever 8`secured in any rod 9, con nected to theupper lever arm l0, the lever arm ll'of which fhas securedthereto the usual foot brake rod 12, Fig;-5. There are has project-v two such rods 12, one on' either side of the machine, and two of the levers -11, which are connected together by the rod 13, Fig. 4, whereby the brakes on either side of the machine areV operated in unison through the yfoot lever 6 and the rod 9. rThe levers lO-ll are fulcrumed on a shaft 14 extending across and free to turn in bearings in the side frame Secured to the shaft 14, 'as by a set screw 16, is a bell crank lever, one arm, 17, of which extends forward from the shaft 14 into prox'- imity with the brake and clutch levers and the flywheel of the motor. The other arm, 17', of said lever has an emergency brake rod 18 connected thereto.- By rocking'the bell Crank lever 17 -17 the emergency brake rod 18 may be actuated either to set or release the brakes.l Carried on the lever arm 17 is a', weight 19 adjustablysecured in position thereon, which weight,` when theemergency brake is applied, acts in combination with the lever 17--17 as a power device to set the brake. This is' the position of the parte shown in Figs. 1 and 5. For the purpose .of

releasing the brakes, power means are providedwher'eby the lever arm 17, together with its `supported weight 19, is elevated.

- Such power means is, in the form of the inat right .angles through la slot 421 formed ink a plate 22 secured, as at 23, in any suitable way to the frame of the machine. The part 20 extends to a point approximately 'under the motor shaft on which the flywheel 24 is secured, and is then bent again atgright angles so as to-have a part 25 extending for-l wardv toward and in close proximityto the face of the flywheel'24, on which face is provided a cam 26, see Figs. 4 and 1() to- 14.

Pivoted to the part 25 is a linger 27 which Enger has a lip 27 projectingover the top of the part 25, whereby the movement of the nger 27 on its pivot is `limited in the upward direction as well as ina downward direction, and preferably a shoulder 28 projects from the side of the part 25at the end thereof, also acting as a limiting stop to the upward movement of the finger 27 said linger' being held in the depressed positionshown in Fig. 8 byv spring 29. This linger 27 is shown in its lower position in Figs. 8 and 14 and in its upperposition in Fig. 9. The fin er 27 is provided on its outer end with a ro1er30..

Referring now to Figure 4, the roller 30, when the parts are in the positionv shown in Fig. 8, just clears the cam 26 on the Hywheel. If the finger 27 is raised in the position shown in Fig. 9, the roller 30 is thrown thereby'withdrawing the roller 30 from the path of the cam. y

The means for elevating the finger 27 so as to -bring the roller 30 into operative relation with the ca1n"26 will now be described. The clutch lever 31- is mounted to turn on the same shaft' as the brake lever 6, and has a gearv wheel 32 secured thereto and turning therewith on the same shaft. This meshes with another gear 33 on a stubshaft 34 se'- cured in any sui-table manner to and projecting inward from`the frame ofthe machine. Thi's gear 33 has rigidly secured thereto and operated thereby a lever arm 35 having a fork 36 at its outer end. The plate 22 is provided with an outwardly extending bracket 37 "which has a downwardly projecting arm `38 supporting an inwardly extending slotted bracket 38', which has a lug l39 thereon. Sliding vertically through an opening in the bracket 37 and the slotted bracket 38 is a bar 40 having a pair of rollers 41 engaging the upper surface of the fork 36, and a pair of rollers 42 engaging the lower surface-of said fork, said forkand 'rollers' being situated above the bracket 37. The bar 4G projects down below the bracket 38 Nand has a lever 43 pivoted on its lower end, .the lon arm of the lever extending inward funder t ie fingerv 27, while the short arm 43 of the lever extends to the outside of the bar 4Qjfand in the same vertical plane as the lug 3901i the bracket 38. A slight downward depression 'of the clutch lever 31'ope'rates through the gears32 and 33 to elevate the fork-36 and with it the bar 40 and lever 43 (see Fig. 11).V A further depression of the clutch lever brings the short arm 43 of the 4lever v43 into engagement with the lug 39, thereby giving the arm 43 a quick upward thrust (see Fig. 12). -Since thisarm 43 ex- .tends under lthe finger 27 ,seeFig 8, 'a slight depression of. the clutch lever elevates the finger 27 into the position'shown in Figs. 9 and 11,' where it is. engzed by camy 26,-' by whichthe lever arm 17 is raised, thus releasing 'the brakes.v When the downward pressure ontheclutch leverj 31-Y is released, the fork 36, land the parts connected `thereto drop to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 10.

Forretaining the lever arm 17 in the elevated position, and thus retaining the emergency brake released, means are provided for los i nengaging the arm in the elevated position, tothe end that when the roller 3() passes lfrom the cam 26 the lever arm 17 may be .frame is provided with two downwardly rojecting arms 45', and on the lower 'en o f these arms are provided two pawls 46 which project through slots.47 in the plate 2 2 and into the path of the rollers 48 projecting from the sides ofthe inwardly extending arm of the lever 17. These pawls 46 are piv- -oted so that they freely turn vertically upward-when struck on the lower side thereof by the rollers 48 and when therollers have passed the same, the pawls drop into the position shownin Figs. 5, 6 andv14. This occurs just before the roller 30 passes from the cani 26, and as the arm 17 is' released from the sustaining iniiuence ofthe cam it is caught and retained by the pawls 46, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The frame 45 has a rearwardly projecting shelf-like arm 49,' Figs. 6 and 14, 'and the foot brake bar 9 projects forward over -said arm and has an interrupter block 50 secured thereon in such position as to rest just over the arm 49, the

.arm and the interrupter block being so proportioned that some considerable longitudinal movement o'f the foot vbrake rod 9 is es-V sential to move the block oii' of the arm (see Fig. 6). During the ordinary application of the` foot brakes, the block 50 is not released from engagement with the arm 49, complete disengagement occurring only when the foot brake lever 6- is fully depressed, at which time the block 50 will be thrown suiiic'iently forward to entirely disengage the block 50' and the arm 49. The frame 4:' is provided with anarm 51 projecting through one of the slots 47 in the plate 22, and has an upwardly turned nose directly in thel path ofa lug52, Fig. 5, on the under side of the clutch lever 31. If the interruptor block 50- is out of engagement with the arm 49 and the lug 52 comes in Contact with the arm 51 on the frame 45, it will rock the frame on its pivot,k thereby withdrawing the pawls 46, 46 from beneath the rollers 48 on the emergency lever arm 17. This rocking action can only occur when the foot brake lever 6v is fully depressed andthe interrupten block 50 lremoved from theshelf-like arm 49.A It will thus be apparent that in order to apply the emergency brake, boththe foot brake lever and the clutch lever must be fully depressed Any intermediate action of eitherof these levers either singly or togethercannot ef fect the tripping of the pawls which support the emergency brake lever. W

Referring now to` -Fig. 5, it will be seen;`

that the weighted brake lever arm 17 is in its lowermost position.v ln this position of they parts, the brakes are applied and the finger 27 is in the depressed position shown in Fig. 8 and the roller 30 out of the path of the cam 26. If now the clutch lever 31 is slightly depressed, as shown in Fig. 2, the

' fork 36 will be elevated by reason of the intermeshing of the gears 32 and 33 so as to raise the bar 40 and withit the lever 43 from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 10 to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 11, and since the lever 43 lengages the underside of the linger 27, said finger will be raised from the position shown inA Fig. 8 to that shown inv Fig. 9, thereby bringing it within the path of the cam 26. The cam operates to lift the linger and with it the brake lever 17, and as it moves upward the rollers 48 strikethe underside of the pawls 46, which yield in an upward direction and permit the rollers to pass, when the pawls'again drop in the position shown inFig. 5. At this point, the roller 30 passes ofi of the cam 26 and the rollers 48 drop onto the pawls 46, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. This opcrates te hold the brake lever 17 in its elevated position and the emergency brake released.

As indicated above, the frame l45 'cannot be tiltedon its pivot to withdraw. the pawls 46 from beneath the rollers 48 as long as the interruptor block 50 is over the bracket arm `49 of the tilting frame 45. lf the foot brake lever 6 is fully depressed, the brake rod 9 will be thrown forward, thereby thrusting the interrupter block 50 oii" of the brake arm 49; then if the clutch lever 31 is fully depressed, the lug 52 on the under side of said lever will engage the armv 51 of the frame 45,'rocking it on its pivot and withdrawing the pawls from beneath the rollers 48, there- -by permitting the brake lever arm 17 to fall and apply the brake.

The initial depression of the clutch lever,

-as before described, operates to elevate the lever 43 from the position shown in F ig. T0 to, that of Fig. 11. If the brake is ""on7 this raising of lever 43 lifts finger 27 to bring roller 3() in the path of the cam 26. But if the brake is off the lever 17 is held in the elevated position, Fig. 2, with the roller 30 out of the path of the cani.V Now full depression of the clutch lever 31 to the position shown in Fig.- 3 will operate to raise 'the lever 43 not only to the position shown in Fig. 11, but, by reason of the 'engagement of the short arm`43 see Fig. 12. This fill depression of clutch of the -lever 43 'withthelug 39, will sharply throw the lever 43 from the position shown vin Fig. 11 to lever 31 trips pawls 46 and permits the lever arm 17, and with it the finger 27 land its roller 30, to drop to the lowermos't position shown in Fig. 1. Whenthe clutch lever 31 is released and is returned bythe yclutch lever spring 56 to the normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the fork 36, the bar 40, and the lever 43 move downward to the positionshown in Fig. 5. At this time,.how ever, the brake lever 17 and the finger 27 have been returned to their lowermost position and the linger 27 is in the downward path of the lever 43. In order to enable the lever to pass the finger 27 and resume .its position under said finger, .as shown in Figs. 8, 10 and 11, the lever 43 is provided with a nose end 43 pivoted thereto so as to be free to break in an upward direction but not to break in a downward direction. This result is ,secured by providing a lug 53, Fig. 8, on the pivot nose end 43, which lug extends over the top of the lever 43 between the pivot point of the nose end 43". and the end of said lever. When the lever 43 descends from the position shown in Fig. 12 to the position shown in Fig. 13, .the nose v43 strikes the finger 27, as'shown in Fig. "13, and is broken upward, and permitsthe lever 43 to pass below ,the inger'27. As

-soon as the nose 43. has passed the -finger 27, it is again thrown into position under said lever by spring 54. The parts .will then be in'tlie position shown in Figs. '8 and 10 with the brake applied.

To `release the brake, it is only' necessary to slightly depress the clutch lever 3l, see Fig. 2, which will act to raise the roller 3 0 from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shownin Fig. ,9, when the cam 26 will again operate on the roller 30 to lift thel From the foregoing, it will-be seen thatl plication of the power of the automobile claims.

engine, it being necessary, however, before intiating the 'release Aot" the brake to o pen the clutch; and that all of the operations are under the control of the ordinary foot brake and clutch levers, thereby entirely eliminating the emergency brake leverheretofore in common use.

n vwin te readily understood by these skilled in the art thatT the inventive Videa is not limited to the illustrative embodiment thereof shown and described in detailherein, since. various modifications may be effected without departing from the broad inventive idea. The scope oi? the invention therefore is not tobe limited to the specific embodiment-herein shown and descriloedor the appended i nected thereto, amotordriven gam, a Clutch otherwise than bythe terms of 2. In an automobile, the combination of a foot brake and an emergency brake, with a foot brake lever for applying the foot brake,

a weighted lever operatively connected to the emergency brake for'applying the same,

means normally holding said weighted lever in non-brake-applying position, a control .device for said holding means, operative `connections between said lfoot brake lever and said controlV device, and operative connection between said holding means and said clutch lever.

3. ln an automobile, the combination of an emergencyr brake, av clutch lever, a weighted lever connectedto said brake to apply the same, a motor, and clutch-leveroperated'means for connecting. said mot'or and weighted lever to release the brake.Y

4. ln an automobile, the combination of a brake, a weighted lever whereby the brake is applied, a motor-driven cam, la clutch lever, and clutch-lever-actuated means for connecting said weighted lever and cam to release the brake.

5. 'In an automobile, the combination of a brake, a weighted lever connected theremeans for connecting said lever 'and cam whereby said lever is elevated, means automatically disconnecting the same with the' lever in elevated position, a lever-engagingl device for holding the same elevated, and means actuating said device to release said lever. 1

' 6. lin anautomobile, the combination of a brake, a weighted lever connected thereto and operating when in depressed position lto apply the brake, means .actuated by the automobile engine to raise said lever and release the brake, a retaining device for engaging said lever \in raised position, and a clutch lever inoperative relation with said device to trip the s ame to apply thebrake.

7. In lan automobile, the combination oi 'a brake, a weighted lever connected thereto and operating when in' depressed position to apply the brake, a flywheel, a cam on the flywheel, means under the control of the operator for connecting sai-d cam and lever to :raise the latter and release the brake, a retaining device for engaging said lever in `'rais/ed position, and a clutch lever in operative relation'4 with said device to trip the same to apply the brake.

8. In an automobile, the combination of a brake, a weighted lever operatively conto, a motor-driven cam, manually operated 10 a foot brake and a lever for controlling the same, with a power actuated emergency brake, and a clutch lever controlling the Iapplication and release of said emergency brake. l

10. In an automobile, .the combination of a power actuated emergency brake, a clutch .lever controlling the application and release of the same, with a foot brake, a foot brakeoperating lever, and means operated by said foot brake lever and controlling the appli" cation of the emergency brake.

11. In an automobile, the combination of an emergency brake, and a foot brake, with a foot brake lever, a clutch lever, and a power device for applying the emergency brake, said powerdevice being subject to the dual control vof sai-d foot lbrake lever and' said clutch lever.

12. In an automobile, the combination of a brake, a clutch, a power device for releaspower device to said brake.

13. In an automobile, the combination of a clutch, a bra-ke, a power device for applying the brake, a power device for releasing the brake, and a lever controlling said clutch and the application of each of said power devices;

In testimony whereotI have signed this specification,

- EDGAR D. BROWN.4

ing'the brake, and a clutch lever controlling the clutch and the application of saidv 

